Quartararo scores fastest MotoGP test time in Malaysia

February 10, 2020 | 09:00

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Fabio Quartararo topped the MotoGP pre-season test timesheets in Malaysia on Sunday (Feb 9), as the French rider scored the fastest lap three days in a row at the Sepang test circuit.

quartararo scores fastest motogp test time in malaysia

Petronas Yamaha SRT's French rider Fabio Quartararo takes a corner during the last day of the pre-season MotoGP winter test at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. (Mohd RASFAN/AFP)

Zipping through the track in hot weather, Quartararo clocked in on his Yamaha with a best lap time of 1min 58.349sec at the 17th lap, pulling 57 laps on the track?s last test day.

"We're really happy for the first test of the year with the 2020 bike," the Frenchman told reporters just before the session ended.

He said his team's pace was "not so bad" and was looking forward to the second phase of MotoGP testing in Qatar on Feb 22, adding he was hoping to work more on his pacing.

"(We need to) just keep working on the pace because we know that in one lap, we're fast," the 20-year-old said.

Quartararo?s best lap time on Sunday was also his fastest over the past three days.

Sunday's riding also saw overall best lap timings as he and 14 others zoomed in just under the 1:59-minute mark on the 5.5km track, up from eight riders the day before.

Following close behind as second fastest Sunday was Briton Cal Crutchlow, putting his best of 1min 58.431sec, a mere 0.082 seconds behind the former French rookie.

"It was a good lap time, it was good to be able to go fast," the 34-year-old told reporters.

"It was my fastest time ever in Malaysia and we look forward to Qatar now."

Spaniard Alex Rins came in third fastest, clocking 1min 58.450sec, as Italian Francesco Bagnaia followed on his Ducati in 1min 58.502sec.

Fifth speediest was veteran Italian Valentino Rossi with 1min 58.541sec, with fellow countryman Danilo Petrucci at 1min 58.606sec on his Ducati.

The season will start in Qatar on Mar 8.

AFP

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